HARRIERS OF DISCORD – ‘…and they did live’ Album Review

HARRIERS OF DISCORD – …and they did live

Harriers Of Discord from Los Angeles were originally founded in April of 2014 and the band has worked at a frantic pace collaborating with many musicians, touring and recording melodic, approachable surf punk. This album, …and they did live, is a reworking of eleven tracks from their first three albums and the skinny on the street is that the band are really showcasing their skills on this release.

No More Than Mere Man opens the album with a reverb infused guitar lick that speeds up and leads a rollicking track full of runs, licks and a rock ‘n roll vocal that had me tapping my feet, banging my head and, eventually leaping around the room!

There is a garage punk feel to the Harriers Of Discord that is raw and infectious. On Let’s Legalize Prostitution, a swirling guitar and higher pitched vocal had me completely in the land of Zounds – and that’s a high compliment. The Man Who Killed takes on a spaghetti western vibe with a mournful guitar and some soaring vocals producing a unique folksong similar to The House Of The Rising Sun in sound. The storytelling approach continues on The Man On Boothill whilst Under The Father’s Gun rocks things up a little with a Cramps rockabilly guitar and some interplay between the vocals that are compelling!

BIG (Wash With Soap) mines the surf-punk vaults and powers along with hooks and melody a-plenty! On Ascending Descendants, Harriers Of Discord punch things up with faster and intricate punkier song with some strong vocals. The 8th track, Slave Drivers swirls and relentlessly hooks in the listener – bound to be a live favorite as it demands movement!

Hotel Services is a garage punk classic and it is followed by Je Suis Charlie where the band go for a straight-up punk rock approach and sound great doing it! Ending with The Gunslinger (Roland Go And Get Your Gun) where surf-punk meets Celtic-punk meets country, Harriers Of Discord even manage to channel some English folk sounds to produce an intriguing and excellent conclusion to a great release.